Lavandula latifolia
Medikus
Spike lavender, Sweet lavender
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(c) Ferran Turmo Gort, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc-sa
(c) Ferran Turmo Gort, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc-sa
(c) Ferran Turmo Gort, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
Summary
Source: WikipediaLavandula latifolia, known as broadleaved lavender, spike lavender, aspic lavender or Portuguese lavender, is a flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, native to the western Mediterranean basin. Hybridization can occur in the wild with English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia). The scent of Lavandula latifolia is stronger, with more camphor, and more pungent than Lavandula angustifolia scent.
Description
A herb. It grows 0.9 m high and spreads 1.2 m wide. The leaves are broad and greyish-green. The flower spikes are purple. They are on long stalks. These often have 3 branches.
Edible Uses
The leaves can be eaten raw and used as a condiment in salads. They are very aromatic and cannot be eaten in large quantity. An essential oil from the flowers is also used as a food flavouring.
Traditional Uses
The flowers produce an essential oil that has been used to flavour salads, jellies, and other prepared foods. The flowering parts are used for a herbal tea. They are also used as a flavouring for olives.
Medicinal Uses
Spike lavender has similar medicinal properties to common lavender (L. angustifolia), though its essential oil is more abundant but of inferior quality. The flowering stems and their essential oil are abortifacient, antibacterial, antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative, and emmenagogue. They can be used in all the ways common lavender is used — externally for wounds, burns, and insect stings, and internally for digestive disorders. The essential oil is used in aromatherapy, with the keyword 'Immune system'.
Distribution
It is a warm temperate plant. It suits hardiness zones 7-10.
Where It Grows
Africa, Asia, Australia, Balkans, Britain, China, Croatia, Europe, France, Greece, India, Mediterranean, Portugal, Spain,
Cultivation
Succeeds in almost any soil so long as it is well-drained and not too acid. Prefers a sunny position in a neutral to alkaline soil. Prefers a light warm dry soil. When grown in rich soils the plants tend to produce more leaves but less essential oils. Very tolerant of salt wind exposure. Established plants are drought tolerant. When growing for maximum essential oil content, the plant must be given a very warm sunny position and will do best in a light sandy soil, the fragrance being especially pronounced in a chalky soil. This species of lavender is cultivated for its essential oil in S. France and England. It is very closely related to L. angustifolia but perhaps not so hardy, tolerating temperatures down to about -10°c. Plants are not very long-lived and soon become straggly unless pruned. Any trimming of the plant is best done in spring and should not be done in the autumn since this can encourage new growth that will not be very cold-hardy. A good bee plant, also attracting butterflies and moths. A good companion for most plants, growing well with cabbages.
Propagation
Sow seed in spring in a greenhouse, barely covering it. Germination typically takes 1–3 months at 15°C. Prick out into individual pots once large enough to handle and grow on in the greenhouse or cold frame through the first winter, planting out in late spring after the last expected frosts. Take half-ripe cuttings 7–10cm with a heel in July or August in a frame — a high percentage root within a few weeks. Grow on in the greenhouse for the first winter and plant out in late spring. Cuttings of 7cm with a heel also succeed at almost any time of year. Layering is another option.
Other Uses
An essential oil obtained from the flowers is used in soap making, perfumery, food flavouring, veterinary medicines, and porcelain painting. This species yields up to three times the quantity of essential oil as L. angustifolia, though the quality is inferior. For maximum oil content, harvest flowering stems as soon as the flowers have faded. The aromatic leaves and flowers repel insects in linen cupboards and are used in pot-pourri; they are also said to repel mice. Flowering stems with the flowers removed can be bundled and burnt as incense sticks. Lavender flowers are rich in nectar and pollen, attracting bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. The dense woody stems and leaf litter can provide shelter and overwintering sites for invertebrates. The strong scent acts as a natural pest deterrent, confusing and repelling moths, mosquitoes, and flies.
Notes
There are about 28 Lavandula species.
Synonyms
Also Known As
Alhucema, Espigol
References (13)
- Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 319
- Blamey, M and Grey-Wilson, C., 2005, Wild flowers of the Mediterranean. A & C Black London. p 401
- Bot. Beob. 1783, 135. 1784
- Bonet, M. A. & Valles, J., 2002, Use of non-crop food vascular plants in Montseny biosphere reserve (Catalonia, Iberian Peninsula). International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition (2002) 53, 225–248
- Brown, D., 2002, The Royal Horticultural Society encyclopedia of Herbs and their uses. DK Books. p 256
Show all 13 references Hide references
- Cundall, P., (ed.), 2004, Gardening Australia: flora: the gardener's bible. ABC Books. p 802
- Etherington, K., & Imwold, D., (Eds), 2001, Botanica's Trees & Shrubs. The illustrated A-Z of over 8500 trees and shrubs. Random House, Australia. p 426
- Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 126
- Hedrick, U.P., 1919, (Ed.), Sturtevant's edible plants of the world. p 374 (As Lavandula spica)
- Hibbert, M., 2002, The Aussie Plant Finder 2002, Florilegium. p 180
- PROSEA handbook Volume 13 Spices. p 277
- Seidemann J., 2005, World Spice Plants. Economic Usage, Botany, Taxonomy. Springer. p 200 (Also as Lavandula hybrida)
- Tardio, J., et al, Ethnobotanical review of wild edible plants in Spain. Botanical J. Linnean Soc. 152 (2006), 27-71
